A year away
by cookie-happiness
Summary: Lin and Naru have returned to Japan after a year away in England, but something's changed. Lin notices the difference in Mai compared to before, and it's doing something to him. Has the change only recently effected him, or has the feelings for Mai been something he's had for awhile? LIN X MAI Oneshot, some characters are a little O.O.C. R


**WARNING!: I wrote this at the same time that I wrote Lin's bad hair day. So it hasn't been checked for my appaling mistakes, isn't very good and still reminds me of all the free time I have since I wrote something about Lin and Mai ... anyway, I thought I'd upload this one to since i'm awesome and it's just been sitting quietly in my story folder on my computer. Enjoy, or no cookies for you!**

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**Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt, as you may already know, but I do own Chika - she's my own character x And a little note: you'll notice Naru isn't properly Naru, but hey, that's what love does to a narcissist.**

**And I think you'll notice that i'm not very good at writing romance.**

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Lin's POV

It had only been a year that me and Naru spent in England. We dealt with cases whilst there and no problems accured, the team were dissmissed of their work at the SPR and contact between us was limited. Yet when Naru and I arrived back in Japan to begin SPR again, problems started to arrise.

It wasn't easy gathering everyone up again. This was my first problem. Naru had left me with the job of contacting the old workers of SPR and gathering them, I only had to ring Madoka for Ayako's and Bou-sans contact details, but finding John, Masako, Yasu and Mai proven to be quite the differcult task, although finally I managed to do it.

Simple invites had been sent to John and Masako, who now live together, whereas the rest either required phone calls or personal visits.

And this is where problem two comes in. After my visit to Yasu's college had finished I set my sights on visiting Mai's flat. I heard that she shares it with a few college friends, and after my successful attempt to woo the college females ended I managed to get the address to Mai's flat.

After several knocks the door to her flat finally opened. At the other side of the door stood a young brunette. "Mai?" I asked. She was no longer the height of my chest, but had grew enough so that she now reached my shoulders. I noticed the way her face had become more sharp, her hair was now to her waist and body was more shaped. "Lin-san!" she shouted, she smiled the same smile she always greated us with and giggled, "you look . . . hans- TALLER! yeah . . . taller, you look much taller now Lin-san" she blushed slightly. "Naru sent me here" I quickly said, hesitent as the name Naru crossed my lips. Mai didn't like Naru a lot anymore, not since he left and closed SPR. "Naru, ah" she sighed lightly before she smiled affectionately "come in" she said. Before I could say no Mai had her hands in mine and was dragging me into her large but cosy living space.

My back straightened as an unfamiliar energy burst through my body. I was captivated by the way Mai's short white dress hung around her thighs, the way it brushed gently against the soft, pale skin. I could almost feel the smoothness of her skin on my fingertips, almost taste her sweet fragrence, almost taste her . . .

"Lin-san?" I shot out of my dirtied imagination at the sound of her voice, "mm" I mearly said to show I was listening, she smiled understandingly. Over the period of time Mai and I had known each other, she had got reletivly used to my way of thinking and had somehow developed a way of understanding me though my actions of words.

"So, what did Naru send you for?" she asked, gesturing to a small seat next to her. I took it gratefully, I was worn out already. "Ah yes, Naru. He would like it if you would come back to SPR, he's re-opened the office and needs his old workers back". Mai stared at me intently before asking, "he's re-opened the office?".

"Well you see . . . " I coughed slightly, "Naru's errr . . . found something in Japan. He's says it's important, no, _she's_ important" I finished.

Mai looked at me questionly before gasping loudly, "NARU HAS A GIRLFRIEND! . . . wait, _Naru_ has a girlfriend?", she look surprised, although the way her eyes shone suggested she found the matter rather amusing.

"Well he won't admit it to me, but as soon as he met Chika in England he became like a love sick puppy. He was sad to see her go back to Japan though, that's why he's returned suddenly" I stated. By now I had my legs crossed and was perched up proudly next to Mai. I hadn't noticed that she had moved closer whilst I was telling her the tale, I only realised when her face was inches away from mine.

"So her names Chika" she smiled. Mai seemed relatively interested in this relationship of Naru's considering she used to like the guy.

I couldn't help but feel light headed with Mai's head so close to mine. I could feel the way her breath tickled my face when she spoke. _'Get a hold of yourself, your supposed to be a man' _I thought angrily.

My body relaxed as I gently discarded myself of the seat. I could hear my Shiki laughing frantically in my head, _'they must think i'm such a child'_ I thought.

i could see that Mai was still for a few seconds before standing up to see me out. "I can't wait to go back to work, it's going to be sooo much fun teasing Naru about Chika" Mai laughed as she opened the door for me.

"Ah! Naru want's you to be at the office next tuesday at 7" I quickly remembered. She pouted for awhile before smiling radiently, "Well at least i'll be able to see you again Lin-san!". My heart lept suddenly as she surprised me with her smile. The same smile that only recently made me feel like I was floating on air.

The questions I kept asking myself on the way home were ones that got me very confused; why was I behaving like such a fool now? How come Mai has left such an impact on me just now? And how on earth have these new feeligns come about? Is it because of the way she's changed into a _women_, or is it that i've always had these missing feelings towards Mai?

Why was I so confused, it's only one meeting with her. It doesn't nessesarily mean that I have feelings for her, I mean it's the first time i've seen her in a year!

But either way, I couldn't wait to see Mai on tuesday.

()()()

"Lin-san!" Mai shouted as she pounced into the office, totaly oblivious to the confused and accusing stares Naru, Bou-san, Ayako and the others gave me.

"Mai, your here early" I said reluctant to show the effect her overly optamistic self had on me. "Lin?" I heard the amusment in naru's voice as he waved me over, "have I missed something?" he asked, raising a dark, shaped eyebrow at me.

I coughed slightly before shaking my head. A small but noticable smirk grew on Naru's face as he just kept looking at me as if he was expecting something. "Lin, I can see it in your eyes, when you look at her you suddenly turn . . . freakingly sensitive" he sat down before taking a sip of his tea, which surprisingly Mai didn't make. He had developed a taste for a new brand of tea.

"Freakingly sensitive huh. I would say the same to you Naru, I mean, the way you look at that Chika, I feel sorry for the girl" I shrugged. Naru eyes widened before he spat out his mouthful of tea.

"H-how do you know about that!" he hissed quietly. I smiled triumpthly before turning as I waved my left hand, "everyone knows Naru".

I sensed the small flush of Naru cheeks before he headed into the small lounge to confront the others about a dinner he had arranged for them all to celebrate them coming together again.

Everyone watched in disbelief as he explained the plan for the night. When he had finished and everyone began tearing their coats down of the rack to leave, they all turned to me for an explination as to why their 20 year old boss had changed so much. I simply mouthed that he had a new women and watched as all of the following members' jaws dropped as they took in the new news.

"Lin, are you coming?" Mai asked me when she noticed me retreating into my office. I shook my head, "I have lots of work to do". I noticed the long breath she took before calling back to Naru, "hey boss, i'm staying here with Lin-san to finish some work!".

Everyone that was huddled around the door turned to look at me before giving me a understanding smile, I saw that Naru held up a peice of paper that read 'Good Luck!'. My hand slapped my forehead before I waved for the others to go.

"Lin - san, can I call you Lin?" Mai asked as she passed me some paperwork. She was leaning over my desk which caused her V neck shirt to crumple down a little. I swalled my lust before lifting my eyes to meet with her deep, brown ones.

I nodded slowly and she smiled, "great. Well Lin, why don't we do something more fun than this" she exclaimed whilst she walked around my desk and stood me up.

Her right hand turned on the CD player I had on my desk whilst her other slid into my hand. I caught my breath at the slight touch, it was a perfect fit, like we were made for each other.

As the song turned to a slow, love song, Mai leaned against my chest. Her breath was as unsteady as mine and I knew that my heart was beating to fast for comfort, but as my heart began dancing to it's own rythm, I realised that these feelings for Mai wasn't something new, i've just never noticed them before.

"Lin" Mai said, her small rosey cheeks still resting on my chest. "Yes?" I asked, still dazed by the current avent. "Thank you" Mai whispered, I stopped rocking and held her infront of me, my dark eyes searching for hers, "for what?", "for coming back" she smiled.

I gazed at her perfect face, confusion filled my eyes. Mai noticed this and placed her delicate hand onto my cheek, I could feel the blood rushing to my head.

She leaned closer, my body still frozen. Our eyes still kept each others as her touch melted my body. "Mai" I groaned as I noticed her lips began to part. She smiled reassuringly before her lips came in contact with mine.

"I love you Lin" she whispered as we broke apart. I was to shocked to even think, "Lin?" Mai asked worridly. Gently but lovingly I bent down to kiss her forehead, "I love you to Mai", she smiled as a tear gently crept down her flushed cheek, our hands locked and our bodies, now closly pressed together, began dancing to the slow music in the background.

I still can't believe that after a year in England I come back to Japan to be greated with such things; developed feelings and the women of my dreams. How could a simple year away make all that happen?

-Meanwhile-

"Naru, do those guys know that we are spying on them through the window?" I heard a loud voice ask, Naru growled before looking up to see that I was standing infront of the window he and the others were behind, "NARU!" I shouted before Naru jumped up and declared, "I KNEW YOU TWO WERE GOING OUT!".

**THE END**

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**Ok. So now that we are done here ... GO READ MY OTHER STORIES AND WHAT NOT! Or you can just be a good cookie and comment!**


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